The Truth About Dual Use of Cigarettes and Vapes

The Truth About Dual Use of Cigarettes and Vapes

The combination of conventional cigarettes and electronic cigarettes, known as dual use (DU), is often seen as a potential pathway towards quitting smoking. However, recent research published in ERJ Open Research challenges this assumption and presents evidence suggesting otherwise.

Dual Use and Smoking Cessation

A systematic review analysed 16 studies to examine whether dual use could support smoking cessation. Contrary to hopeful expectations, the findings revealed that most individuals who engage in dual use either continue smoking traditional cigarettes or maintain the dual use habit over time. The evidence indicates that those starting as dual users are less likely to achieve complete abstinence compared to those exclusively using either conventional or electronic cigarettes.

Notably, among dual users, approximately 20% remained in the same status after 16 to 24 months. Even after 24 to 48 months, a worrying 8% continued as dual users, exposing them to the risks associated with both products.

Health Concerns of Dual Use

The simultaneous exposure to conventional cigarettes and vapes creates compounded health risks. Dual users are subjected to high levels of nicotine alongside toxicants from both smoking and vaping. This double exposure raises serious public health concerns, particularly as the long-term effects of vaping remain insufficiently studied. These risks add to the already well-documented harms of conventional cigarettes, such as lung damage, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

A Better Way Forward

The findings underscore that dual use may not only fail to aid in quitting smoking but could also serve as a barrier to achieving complete nicotine abstinence. Rather than relying on strategies that prolong the use of harmful products, the focus should be on addressing nicotine addiction in a comprehensive and sustainable way.

Prolonged dual use reinforces dependence on nicotine and does little to break free from the cycle of addiction. This highlights the importance of seeking solutions geared towards supporting total cessation. Health outcomes improve most significantly when individuals quit completely, eliminating exposure to all tobacco and nicotine products.

The research serves as a stark reminder that dual use isn’t the answer to overcoming nicotine addiction. Instead, it perpetuates harmful behaviours while exposing users to compounded risks. Public health efforts need to prioritise approaches that genuinely help individuals break free from these dependencies. The ultimate goal should be total cessation, where health, freedom from addiction, and a better quality of life can be fully realised.

Source: Practice Update

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